Monthly Archives: January 2009

New England Chapter member Sam Ellenport of the Harcourt Bindery will give a talk at the Salem Athenaeum on February 24, 2009 at 7PM. The lecture will be illustrated by good slides and, Sam promises, “There is some meat to the story as well.” The event is free and open to the public.

The updated catalogue of NBSS workshops is now online on the school’s website, www.nbss.org.

Quoting from the online listing: “Lots of excitement in the Bookbinding arena this spring and summer. Tom Conroy and Shanna Leino join us for toolmaking workshops, Linda Lembke explores the properties of paper, the ever-popular Peter Geraty returns for Edge Gilding and Hot Stamping work, and Hélène Jolis is coming from France to lead a leather decoration workshop.”

One example of the rare opportunities to be found at North Bennet this session includes a course on cutting finishing tools with Tom Conroy. There is very limited space available so New England Chapter members are advised to check this out ASAP.

Brass finishing tools are expensive necessities for the hand binder. Some tools can be well made by the binder, some are best bought new, and some (whether elegant in body and face or merely adequate) may be acquired used. By making a line, a gouge, and a leaf tool students will learn all the filing, engraving, and mounting techniques needed for toolcutting, and will gain a basis for judging other tools. They will understand how to make tools for particular bindings, repair battered or worn tools, or fill in incomplete used sets. Acquiring, and judging the quality, of old and new tools will be discussed. The tuition includes a materials fee for some supplies and tools: for the most part, students are expected to provide their own hand tools.

You may register for this, or any of the other upcoming NBSS workshops, online in the workshops section at www.nbss.org. Contact the workshops coordinator, Jourdan Abel, for more information: workshops@nbss.org or 617-227-0155.